The present invention relates generally to wrapping film packaging apparatus, and a method of operating the same, and more particularly to a new and improved wipe down brush system, and a method of operating the same, for use in connection with a wrapping film packaging system for wrapping or packaging, for example, palletized loads within wrapping or packaging film.
In connection with the wrapping of, for example, palletized loads within wrapping or packaging film, a palletized load is disposed at a film wrapping or packaging station, and a film wrapping or packaging assembly is rotated around the film wrapping or packaging station so as to envelop or wrap the palletized load within wrapping or packaging film. The wrapping or packaging film is conventionally disposed upon a supply roll of wrapping or packaging film, and the supply roll of wrapping or packaging film is mounted upon a vertically movable carriage which, in turn, is mounted upon a rotatable arm of an overall film wrapping or packaging system. Accordingly, if the carriage is moved, for example, vertically downwardly, or is disposed for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined elevational level, while the rotatable arm is rotated around the film wrapping or packaging station, the wrapping or packaging film withdrawn from the supply roll of wrapping or packaging film is able to be wrapped around the palletized load in either a spiral or concentric wrapping or packaging mode so as to completely envelop or encompass the palletized load within the wrapping or packaging film.
The film wrapping or packaging system further conventionally comprises a clamping mechanism for clamping, for example, a leading end of the wrapping or packaging film in preparation for the initiation of a film wrapping or packaging operation or cycle, and a cutter mechanism for severing the wrapping or packaging film at the conclusion of the film wrapping or packaging operation or cycle whereby the wrapping or packaging film wrapped upon the palletized load is able to be separated from the wrapping or packaging film disposed upon the supply roll of wrapping or packaging film. At the beginning of a film wrapping or packaging operation or cycle, the leading end of the wrapping or packaging film is secured to the palletized load in accordance with known wrapping or packaging techniques, and at the conclusion of the film wrapping or packaging operation or cycle, as a result of the severance of the wrapping or packaging film at a predetermined point or location interposed between the palletized load and the supply roll of wrapping or packaging film, a new leading end of the wrapping or packaging film is effectively created in preparation for the initiation of a new film wrapping or packaging operation or cycle to be performed upon a new palletized load, while simultaneously therewith, a trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film, which is of course integrally attached to the wrapped or packaged palletized load, is likewise effectively created. It is also conventional to ensure that the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film is in fact secured to the wrapped or packaged palletized load by causing the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film to self-adhere to the previously wrapped layers of the wrapping or packaging film disposed upon the palletized load. This is readily achievable in view of the fact that the chemical composition of the surface portion of the wrapping or packaging film that is disposed toward the load conventionally comprises a suitable tackifier.
In order to therefore ensure that the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film will in fact self-adhere to the previously wrapped layers of the wrapping or packaging film, various auxiliary assemblies or systems, which are known in the industry as wipe down mechanisms, devices, or implements, have been conventionally employed so as to in effect force the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film into engagement with those layers of wrapping or packaging film which have been previously wrapped around the palletized load. Examples of such wipe down mechanisms, devices, or implements are disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,224 which issued to Yourgalite et al. on Feb. 26, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,181 which issued to Casteel on Sep. 11, 1990, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,396 which issued to Stackhouse on Oct. 25, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,033 which issued to Stackhouse on Apr. 5, 1988, U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,863 which issued to Humphrey on Jan. 14, 1986, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,501 which issued to Stackhouse on Nov. 11, 1980.
As can readily be appreciated from the noted patents, each one of the wipe-down system conventionally comprises a wiper mechanism, device, or implement which is usually mounted upon a rotatable or pivotal support arm so as to be capable of moving the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement between a first relatively remote or retracted position at which the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement is DISENGAGED from a trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film and therefore is not in position to perform a wipe-down operation or procedure in connection with the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film, and a second relatively close or extended position at which the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement is ENGAGED in contact with the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film and is therefore in position to perform a wipe-down operation or procedure in connection with the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film. As a result of the wipe-down operation or procedure, the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film is forced into contact with, and adhered to, the previously wrapped layers of wrapping or packaging film disposed upon the palletized load, whereby the free trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film is no longer disposed in a free-floating state and therefore does not present a potential hazard with respect to subsequent operation of the wrapping or packaging machinery.
While the aforenoted wipe-down mechanisms, devices, or implements have apparently been operationally satisfactory, it is noted that in accordance with the usage of the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement during a wipe-down operation or procedure, the wipe-down mechanism, implement, or device support arm is rotationally or pivotally moved in the first rotational direction from its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position to its close or extended ENGAGED position so as to permit the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement to perform or achieve the wipe-down operation or procedure, and upon conclusion of the wipe-down procedure or operation, the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm is rotationally or pivotally moved in a second opposite direction from its close or extended ENGAGED position back to its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position in preparation for a subsequent wipe-down operation or procedure. It has been experienced, however, that, as a result of the aforenoted return or reversed directional movement of the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm back to its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position, and as a result of the fact that during such movement of the suppor arm, the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se is still somewhat disposed in contact with the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film adhered to the previously wrapped underlying layers of wrapping or packaging film disposed upon the palletized load, the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se will sometimes cause the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film to become dislodged from its adhered state upon the palletized load. Obviously, such a state or disposition of the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film effectively defeats the entire purpose or objective of employing a wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement, requiring, for example, the wipe-down operation or procedure to be repeated.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement assembly, and a method of operating the same, wherein, for example, the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se can effectively be operatively removed or disengaged from its contact position, with respect to the trailing end of the packaging or wrapping film adhered upon the wrapped or packaged palletized load, prior to the movement of the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm such that, when the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm is in fact moved from its close or extended ENGAGED position back to its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position, since the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se has already been operatively disengaged from operative contact with the trailing end of the packaging or wrapping film adhered upon the wrapped or packaged palletized load, movement of the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm from its close or extended ENGAGED position back to its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position will not result in the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se causing the dislodgment of the trailing end of the packaging or wrapping film from its adhered position upon the wrapped or packaged palletized load.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved wipe-down system, and a method of operating the same, for achieving a wipe-down operation or procedure in connection with securely adhering a trailing end portion of a wrapping or packaging film onto a previously wrapped or packaged palletized load.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wipe-down system, and a method of operating the same, for achieving a wipe-down operation or procedure in connection with securely adhering a trailing end portion of a wrapping or packaging film onto a previously wrapped or packaged palletized load, whereby the system and method effectively overcome the various operational drawbacks or disadvantages characteristic of PRIOR ART wipe-down systems and methods.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wipe-down system, and a method of operating the same, for achieving a wipe-down operation or procedure in connection with securely adhering a trailing end portion of a wrapping or packaging film onto a previously wrapped or packaged palletized load such that the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film will not be inadvertently dislodged from its adhered position upon the palletized load at the conclusion of the wipe-down operation or procedure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wipe-down system, and a method of operating the same, for achieving a wipe-down operation or procedure for securely adhering a trailing end portion of a wrapping or packaging film onto a previously wrapped or packaged palletized load, wherein the operation or disposition of the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se is controlled independently of the support arm, upon which the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement is mounted, so as to be capable of movement toward and away from the palletized load independently of the support arm in order to facilitate the achievement of the wipe-down operation or procedure for securely adhering the trailing end portion of a wrapping or packaging film upon the palletized load.
A last object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wipe-down system, and a method of operating the same, for achieving a wipe-down operation or procedure for securely adhering a trailing end portion of a wrapping or packaging film onto a previously wrapped or packaged palletized load, wherein the operation or disposition of the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se is controlled independently of the support arm, upon which the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement is mounted, so as to be capable of movement toward and away from the palletized load independently of the support arm in order to facilitate the achievement of the wipe-down operation or procedure whereby the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film will not be inadvertently dislodged from its adhered position upon the palletized load at the conclusion of the wipe-down operation or procedure.
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved wipe-down system, and method of operating the same, which, in addition to a first actuating mechanism for rotationally or pivotally moving the main support arm, upon which a wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement is operatively mounted, between a first remote or retracted DISENGAGED position and a second close or extended ENGAGED position, there is provided a second actuating mechanism for actuating the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se between a first DISENGAGED position and a second ENGAGED position. In this manner, upon conclusion of a wipe-down operation or procedure, the second actuating mechanism would be actuated such that the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se is operatively moved from its ENGAGED position to its DISENGAGED position whereby the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se is no longer disposed in contact with the trailing end of the wrapping or packaging film which is now secured in an adhered state upon the wrapped or packaged palletized load, and subsequently, the first actuating mechanism would be actuated so as to move the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm from its close or extended ENGAGED position to its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position. In this manner, as a result of the actuation of the second actuating means for moving the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se to its DISENGAGED position, at which the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se is no longer disposed in contact with the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film, prior to the actuation of the first actuating means for moving the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm from its close or extended ENGAGED position to its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position, the movement of the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement support arm from its close or extended ENGAGED position to its remote or retracted DISENGAGED position cannot cause the wipe-down mechanism, device, or implement per se to cause dislodgment of the trailing end portion of the wrapping or packaging film, previously adhered upon the wrapped or packaged palletized load, from the wrapped or packaged palletized load. Accordingly, the operational objectives of the wipe-down procedure will be ensured.